The Garden of Our Microbiome

by Amy Jones, Certified Herbalist

Bacteria usually get a bad rap in our modern culture. Some are, after all, cause for many illnesses; but the other side of the bacterial equation is that we actually need certain kinds to thrive and stay healthy.

Did you know that the amount of beneficial bacteria in the body can weigh anywhere from 2 to 6 pounds? With that much bacterial activity going on inside of us, there must be a reason!

In recent years, science has begun to uncover what traditional healers have known for centuries – that the health of our digestive system plays a significant, if not primary, role in the optimal function of many of our other bodily processes; and that gut bacteria, now commonly referred to as the microbiome, play a crucial role in supporting those processes.

And yet our modern American diet, lifestyle, and medical model are not designed to support or benefit a beneficial balance of gut microbes. In fact, they are most of the time at odds with building and maintaining a well-functioning and vital microbiome.

Therefore it is in our hands to make our health and wellbeing the best it can be by following some of the simplest and most basic strategies to support our microbiome and digestion. Consider your microbiome like the soil of your garden: if you plant in poor soil, chances are your roots won’t get the nutrients they need and your veggies and flowers won’t thrive. In the same way, we want to cultivate our microbiome so that we build strong roots for health, and numerous bodily processes get what they need to function optimally.

If you have struggled with any of the following, it may be time to look at how well you’re tending the garden of your microbiome:

Anxiety

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Constipation

Bloating

Diarrhea

Inability to lose weight

Depression

Headaches

Mood Swings

Join Amy Jones on Tuesday, April 24, 6 pm at the Colorado School of Clinical Herbalism for an interactive class all about the Garden of our Microbiome. Amy will share simple tips, recipes and vital strategies to optimize your microbiome into the healthiest and most abundant bacterial garden it can be; as well as what to avoid and minimize to keep your gut bacteria happy and thriving.

You’ll walk away with recipe handouts, a 30-day microbiome checklist, and the opportunity to try many different gut-supportive foods and herbal infusions.